Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

The Black Disciple named Xiao Yi had a grim expression, grinding his molars with a grating sound. He glared at Qian Baolu as if he wanted to eat him alive.

But after a brief standoff, he managed to restrain himself. Clenching his fists, he turned and stormed away with a flick of his sleeves.

Qian Baolu stood rooted to the spot, fuming silently. Just as he was about to leave, he caught a glimpse of Chen Cheng out of the corner of his eye, head down, eating by the window.

”Junior Brother Chen, did you see that ungrateful wretch? Xiao Yi! The grim-faced one!”

Qian Baolu walked over, plopped down opposite Chen Cheng, and started talking without prompting.

”He only got here a few days before you. In the beginning, he didn’t know a damn thing. I was the one who patiently guided him, taught him, and helped him... I treated him like he was my own brother.”

”He was tight on cash, so I went to great lengths—calling in favors, using my connections—to land him a cushy sinecure! The Monthly Allowance is three taels! Three taels! And what do I get for it?”

Qian Baolu was so worked up that flecks of spit flew from his mouth, his fingers drumming a rapid tattoo on the tabletop.

”The son of a bitch gets his first month’s salary silver, and suddenly he’s got a spine. Turns right around and pretends he doesn’t know me!”

”We agreed on my cut beforehand! It was in black and white... ptui! Even if it wasn’t in black and white, shouldn’t there be some basic integrity?”

”But him? Oh, he was great. Didn’t plan on giving me a single coin!”

Qian Baolu stared at Chen Cheng, desperate for some validation.

”Junior Brother Chen, you tell me, is that how a fucking person acts? He’s a dirty, rotten, ungrateful bastard! I’ll screw his great-grandmother! I...”

Chen Cheng didn’t take the bait. He waited until Qian Baolu had cursed himself hoarse before speaking calmly.

”Senior Brother Qian, I don’t know the full story behind your dispute. But if it’s as you say... then his actions were indeed dishonorable.”

Seeing that Chen Cheng wasn’t immediately joining his side but was merely being objective, Qian Baolu curled his lip and said teasingly,

”You won’t turn out like him, will you?”

”Me?”

Chen Cheng smiled.

”I won’t hide it from you, Senior Brother. I just found a sinecure myself this morning. It’s with the Yongsheng Trading Company, right here in the An Nan District.”

”The Yongsheng Store?”

Qian Baolu froze, a flicker of unconcealable envy in his eyes.

”That’s a major establishment, backed by the Shen Race! Their Monthly Allowance is much higher than anywhere else... But I heard they haven’t been hiring outside Martial Artists for those positions in a long time...”

”I was just lucky, I guess. Happened to catch them at the right time,” Chen Cheng said nonchalantly.

”Don’t give me that!”

Qian Baolu scoffed, not buying that story for a second.

”The Yongsheng Store only hires people with powerful connections or those who are useful in some other way... The title of a newly promoted Middle Courtyard Disciple alone isn’t enough to get you in their door!”

Since he was pressing the issue, Chen Cheng knew he couldn’t keep hiding it.

”If you must know, I worked at the Yongsheng Store for three years in the past. The Master trusts me.”

”There you go! See? I knew it!”

Qian Baolu slapped his thigh, an ”I-knew-it” expression spreading across his face.

”The Yongsheng Store isn’t a place that lets in just any riff-raff. Junior Brother... you’ve really managed to latch onto a powerful patron!”

Chen Cheng didn’t comment on that, changing the subject instead.

”Senior Brother Qian, among the places with sinecures you detailed for me yesterday, you mentioned the Southern Three Guards Patrol Office, right?”

”I did, but didn’t you say it was too dangerous?”

Qian Baolu pursed his lips.

”The Martial Artists hired by the Southern Three Guards Patrol Office are mainly responsible for plainclothes patrols, assisting in arrests, and hunting fugitives... Every one of those jobs is a life-or-death struggle that could end in bloodshed. And you’re willing now?”

”It’s not for me. A friend asked me to find out for him.”

Chen Cheng’s expression remained neutral, as if he were just making small talk.

”He heard the Patrol Guard Bureau has a lot of rules, and if he goes, he wants to know which Constable he’d be under. What’s their personality like? He figured he’d ask around beforehand, so he doesn’t accidentally step on any toes.”

”Heh! Now you’ve come to the right man!”

Qian Baolu’s whole business was making money as a middleman. Getting grilled with detailed questions by cautious people was all in a day’s work for him. He wasn’t afraid of questions; he was afraid of no one asking them.

”Over at the Southern Three Guards, there are two Constables in charge of arrests and manhunts right now. One is named Sun, but he’s too old and has taken a backseat... Any new Martial Artist on a sinecure would most likely be assigned to Zhao Chuan—Zhao Chaitou. As for him...”

He clicked his tongue and lowered his voice.

”He’s the real deal, a true Martial Artist who has refined two pillars of Blood Qi. The thing is... he’s a bit shady. Doesn’t play by the rules and is fiercely protective of his own people. The ones he trusts and promotes are almost always family or connected to him in some way.”

”If your friend wants to get a foothold under a guy like that... he needs to be perceptive, savvy, and have a mind that’s sharper than his fists.”

Chen Cheng listened intently, his expression unreadable, and replied noncommittally.

”Sounds like it will be difficult, then...”

”Actually... there is one other way.”

Qian Baolu said after a moment’s thought.

”Zhao Chaitou has been obsessed with investigating the murder of his older brother, Zhao Shan. If your friend could provide a clue, or offer some real help, he could probably become one of Zhao’s trusted men.”

”That would be even more difficult...”

Chen Cheng said casually, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

”Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother Qian. I’ll pass this along to my friend. If he can really use this opportunity to get in good with Zhao Chaitou, I’ll make sure there’s a finder’s fee in it for you!”

”Heh, now you’re talking!”

Qian Baolu grinned, slapping his chest.

”And like I always say, if there’s anything you don’t understand in the future, just come ask me.”

Chen Cheng thanked him again.

They chatted idly for a while longer, and before long, Qian Baolu had steered the conversation back to Xiao Yi.

He, too, came from a poor family. They had all tightened their belts to pay for his martial arts training. At first, he was nothing special, but recently his progress had become astonishingly fast, as if he’d had a sudden epiphany. He’d already drawn the attention of the Inner Hall.

If not for that, Qian Baolu’s response would have involved more than just running his mouth.

...

In the afternoon, Chen Cheng went home and gave his mother five maces of broken silver for their living expenses.

”Mother,” Chen Cheng said in a low voice, ”don’t take on any more work from the Red Moon Nunnery.”

”I saw Xiaolong this morning... He told me some things. The Red Moon Nunnery... it’s not a place to get mixed up with. We need to stay as far away from it as we can.”

”...Sigh. I’ll listen to you, Son.”

Li Family nodded silently and muttered,

”To be honest, I’ve been wondering myself... Where does that nunnery get so much black cloth? It’s a never-ending pile to be washed.”

”And every batch of fabric they send over has a strange smell. They claim it’s incense, but it’s mixed with... a sour, musty odor, like something has been left to rot...”

”And lately, Aunt Zhang and the others have been chattering about all sorts of ghostly rumors... It’s been making me uneasy.”

Li Family thought for a moment, then quickly made up her mind.

”The next time a job from the Red Moon Nunnery comes up, I’ll just... I’ll just pretend to have a headache or a fever and turn it down.”

Seeing his mother’s resolve, Chen Cheng felt a little more at ease.

He said nothing more, turning to change into his old set of patched, shabby clothes and his uncomfortable, worn-out rush-woven shoes.

He carefully wrapped his Training Attire and cloth shoes in an old rag and slung the bundle over his shoulder.

He then ran his hands through his neatly combed hair, messing it up, before grabbing a handful of soot from the stove and smearing it on his cheeks, neck, and the backs of his hands.

Li Family watched him do all this but didn’t ask any questions.

She had figured it out long ago.

’I’m not capable of helping my son with much. The only thing I can do is keep my mouth shut.’

’Don’t ask what shouldn’t be asked. And what shouldn’t be said, I won’t breathe a single word of it to anyone.’